National Green Hydrogen Mission: Indian Army takes the lead with project in Eastern Ladakh border areas

The Indian Army has taken a significant step towards promoting the 'National Green Hydrogen Mission' by signing an agreement with the National Thermal Power Corporation Renewable Energy Limited (NTPC REL) to install a Green Hydrogen-based Micro Grid Power Plant project in Eastern Ladakh. The project will be set up in the forward areas along the Northern borders that are not connected to the National/State Grid. The project will come up in a region that has seen a military stand-off with China after the 2020 Galwan Valley clash along the Line of Actual Control (LAC). The project will involve setting up a Solar Power Plant for the hydrolysis of water to produce Hydrogen, which will provide power through fuel cells during non-solar hours. This initiative will help reduce dependence on fossil fuel-based generator sets and minimize greenhouse gas emissions, the Ministry of Defence said on Tuesday. The Indian Army has agreed to provide land on lease for 25 years and will purchase the generated power through a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA). This move makes the Indian Army the first government organization to collaborate with NTPC REL with a plan to introduce similar projects in the future. "The MoU is a first of its kind and ushers in a new era of border security backed with energy security for the lines of defence of the country," the Ministry of Power pointed out. With this project, India's Green Hydrogen Mission has again come into the spotlight. So, let’s find out some more about it. WHAT IS INDIA'S GREEN HYDROGEN MISSION? India is making significant strides towards achieving energy independence by 2047 and reaching net-zero emissions by 2070. And the country's energy transition is going to be based on the increased use of renewable energy in all economic sectors. Green Hydrogen is seen as a promising solution to enable this transition as it is an ideal candidate for long-duration energy storage and for replacing fossil fuels in transportation, industry, and decentralized power generation. To achieve these goals, the Indian government approved the National Green Hydrogen Mission in January 2022, which aims to make India a leading producer and supplier of Green Hydrogen in the world. India's highly ambitious Green Hydrogen Mission has several objectives, including reducing dependence on imported fossil fuels, developing indigenous manufacturing capabilities, and attracting investment and business opportunities for the industry, while supporting Research & Development (R&D) projects. By 2030, the mission aims to develop a Green Hydrogen production capacity of at least 5 million metric tonnes per annum and add around 125 GW of renewable energy capacity in the country.